Method and system for the prevention of unwanted wireless telecommunications

ABSTRACT

The invention of present speaks to a method and system for the prevention of unwanted wireless telecommunications which is implemented as part of a computer program product in (preferentially) the telecommunications operator&#39;s network, which meets and/or exceeds much of current, proposed and even academically anticipated legislative (and by necessity, technical) criteria, and indeed, thereby complies with the broader body of prima facie consumer requirements associated with wireless telecommunications spam filtering. Indeed, the invention provides for a remarkably flexible and customizable advance in the art through the utilization of a progressive filtering algorithm. This algorithm offers both the subscriber and the service provider with the capability to block and/or extract potentially harmful or unsolicited SMS, MMS and other such messages on the basis of an extensive range of parameters and rules.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present specification is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/146,977 filed Jun. 26, 2008, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to telecommunications softwareemployed in wireless telephony; and more specifically to a fullyintegrated computer program product and architecture for the inhibitionof unsolicited wireless telecommunications prior to their receipt by theintended party.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Unsolicited and otherwise undesirable telephone calls, e-mails and faxeshave become something of a ubiquity in today's highly prizedcommunications age. Ironically, and almost inevitably, in advancing theart, users of wireless subscribers are now experiencing similar types ofunsolicited messages and/or telecommunications at their handsets and/ormobile devices, including unsolicited SMS (‘SMS spam’), MMS, and EMS,among others. Particularly prevalent in Europe (owing principally to themore mature SMS and MMS market presence and usage therewith), it remainsreadily apparent that the problem will soon spread quantitatively andgeographically.

Elements of the prior art as U.S. Patent Application 20030083078 byAllison et al., entitled methods and systems for preventing delivery ofunwanted short message service (SMS) messages, which discloses a methodwhereby a signaling message processing and routing node transmits andreceives short message service (SMS) data packets via a communicationsnetwork, and therewith includes an SMS message discrimination modulethat determines whether an unwanted or spam SMS message is being sent toa receiving or called party. Nonetheless said application by Allison etal., inevitably remains tied to the prevention of SMS only, and appearsto be GSM/IMSI-centric, as well as constrained by reliance upon SS7/SIPsignaling. Indeed, our invention of present remains unconstrained bysuch considerations, and indeed, applies filtering rules and paradigmsto incoming messages from ESMEs (i.e. on content received via an API orvia a SMPP, UCP, MMX interface), and/or to all forms of asynchronouscommunications including, but not limited to, SMS, MMS and EMS. Ourinvention additionally provides for the application of network-sidefiltering to a broader set of network protocols including thoseprescribed by the TIA (ANSI-41), and may also filter media andtelecommunications, based on the current location and presence status ofthe subscriber, and in alternate embodiments may store unsolicitedinformational and marketing oriented messages (‘spam’) to be viewed inan off-line state.

Other teachings from the prior art include U.S. Patent Application20030074397 by Morin et al., entitled system and method to controlsending of unsolicited communications over a network, however, such artremains irrelevant to the teachings discloses in our application asMorin et al. effectively employ an intermediary agent to relay content(akin to its own messaging service).

U.S. Patent Application 20030021244 by Anderson, D., entitled methodsand systems of blocking and/or disregarding data and related wirelessterminals and wireless service providers, provides a means fordetermining whether a packet of data received at a wireless terminal isfrom an acceptable source (and then processed accordingly therewith).However, the paucity in the disclosure by Anderson is that it blockspackets for designated sources (i.e. IP addresses or equivalentaddresses), that is, while it will allow or disallow an SMS Server, itcannot block SMS's based on a finer granularity (i.e. the actualoriginating address such as the External Short Message Entity (ESME)identifier or MSISDN for instance).

WIPO Patent Application (WO) 03026331 by Jaeaelinoja et al., entitledmethod and apparatus for processing messages, discloses a method forprocessing SMS or MMS messages in a gateway, comprising the steps ofclassifying the messages based on their certain characteristics andprocessing the classified messages based on certain processing code thattakes the classification into account. The principal delineation betweensuch art and that of the present seeking the protection of LettersPatent remains that Jaeaelinoja et al. focuses on filtering on the inputto the SMS-C (i.e. via the SMPP or equivalent protocol). Likewise,German Patent No. 10114649 to Koehler U., entitled method for selectingconsignees within telephone- or cell-phone network, requires initiallycomparing incoming subscriber directory numbers and/or authorizedinformation with stored subscriber numbers, discloses a method whereby asubscriber sets a filter via a control code and a short message service,or via the internet, into the information control (SMSC) assigned tohim, on the basis of his subscriber number identification or on thebasis of a password, or according to the call, e-mail or WAP, whichblocks incoming information already in the information control, orswitches it thorough. Nonetheless, the patent seems to presume that thefunctionality resides in the SMS-C. Indeed, much art is directed andconstrained by over-reliance on the SMS-C and its known functionality.

REFERENCES CITED

-   U.S. Patent Application 20030083078 May, 2003 Allison et al. 455/466-   U.S. Patent Application 20030074397 April, 2003 Morin et al. 709/203-   U.S. Patent Application 20030021244 January, 2003 Anderson, D.    370/329

Foreign Patent Documents

-   03026331 March, 2003 WIPO-   10114649 October, 2002 DE

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has been disclosed herewith to address the overalldeficiencies and/or lack of foresight demonstrated in the art,particularly when one allows for the international spotlight which hasbeen placed on the quandary by the European Union and their Directive onPrivacy and Electronic Communications (Directive 2002/58/EC). Indeed,paragraph forty (40) of the Directive's Preamble provides that“[s]afeguards should be provided for subscribers against intrusion oftheir privacy by unsolicited communications for direct marketingpurposes in particular by means of automated calling machines,telefaxes, and e-mails, including SMS messages. These forms ofunsolicited commercial communications may on the one hand be relativelyeasy and cheap to send and on the other may impose a burden and/or coston the recipient. Moreover, in some cases their volume may also causedifficulties for electronic communications networks and terminalequipment. For such forms of unsolicited communications for directmarketing, it is justified to require that prior explicit consent of therecipients is obtained before such communications are addressed to them.The single market requires a harmonised approach to ensure simple,Community-wide rules for businesses and users.”

While other media-rich forms of asynchronous communications are expectedto supplant SMS over course of the three (3) years (e.g. MMS andPoC)—the growth in SMS messaging is expected to continue to increaseover the next 12-18 months. Although a portion of this growth isexpected to be spurred by increasing adoption of SMS in mature marketsas well as the introduction of digital wireless communications inemerging markets—a major source of growth of SMS messaging is likely tobe associated with the broadcast of unsolicited informational andmarketing oriented messages (‘spam’). To the extent that spam isunsolicited and not explicitly authorized, it constitutes a potentialirritant to the receiving party. In particular, the steady geometricincrease in SMS messages are increasingly beginning to detract from thebenefits of SMS. For example, personal messages may be lost orforgotten.

Telecommunications network operators and like entities must effectivelyachieve a balance between promoting the generation of incrementalrevenues through the use of SMS-based advertising/information-almessages (while complying with existing or as yet, but likely to be,introduced Privacy and/or Electronic Communications legislation, whichusually call for explicit ‘opt-in’ mechanisms for the delivery of suchmarketing and/or related promotional and/or informational material).

To this end, the invention of present speaks to a method and system forthe prevention of unwanted wireless telecommunications which isimplemented as part of a computer program product in (preferentially)the telecommunications operator's network, which meets and/or exceedsmuch of current, proposed and even academically anticipated legislative(and by necessity, technical) criteria, and indeed, thereby complieswith the broader body of prima facie consumer requirements associatedwith wireless telecommunications spam filtering. In one embodiment ofthe invention, the art disclosed addresses the issues associated witheffectively filtering SMS spam introduced by External Short MessageEntity (ESME) sources associated with the Home Operator as well asfiltering SMS spam introduced by EMSE's outside of the Home Operatorscontrol (which may be hosted in a foreign jurisdiction).

In another embodiment of the invention, as it specifically relates toSMS, the invention is designed to block Mobile Terminating (MT) messagesrather than Mobile Originating (MO) ones, since the inventors in seekingto advance the art grant and hold that an architecture which filters MTmessages is far more comprehensive and through than a MO filteringsolution; since it filters messages leaving the SMSC and as result isnot limited to SMS messages originated within the network. Indeed, if MOfiltering solutions have the capability to filter both MO and ESMEoriginated SMS messages the network provider can never be sure that allforeign incoming messages are routed through a filter.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the art provides for ahighly robust system through the implementation of a two phase filteringprocess where messages are intercepted via SS7 (in this illustrativeinstance). Whereby the first filtering process intercepts Send RoutingInformation for Short Messages (SRI-for-SM) on their way to the HLR andthe second intercepts Mobile Terminated Forward Short Messages (MT-FSM)on route to the MSC.

This invention provides for a remarkably flexible and customizableadvance in the art through the utilization of a progressive filteringalgorithm. This algorithm offers both the subscriber and the serviceprovider with the capability to block and/or extract potentially harmfulor unsolicited SMS, MMS and other such messages on the basis of anextensive range of parameters and rules.

In certain aspects, the present invention can provide an openarchitecture method and gateway system for the prevention and/orfiltration of unwanted wireless telecommunications.

Aspects of the invention can exist as part of a computer programproduct, comprising: a) a computer readable memory medium; and b) acomputer program including the mathematic and programmatic logicrequired to facilitate the steps, methods and rules as such.

The method or gateway system can relate to SMS, MMS, EMS and otherunwanted wireless communication means which may be found in the state ofthe art.

The method or gateway system can relate to asynchronous messagesreceived via TCP/IP protocols including SMPP (Short Message Peer toPeer), UCP (Universal Computer Protocol), MMx (MM1, MM4, MM7)(associated with the provision of Multi-Media Service messages), SMTP(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), and POP3 (Post Office Protocol).

The method or gateway system can be applied to messages received in theform of an API (Application Programming Interface) (as prescribed by the3GPP, 3GPP2, OMA, ETSI, and Parlay).

The method or gateway system can be applied to a situation where theunwanted wireless telecommunications are filtered based onintermediating network protocols (as defined in the state of the art andamended therewith from time to time).

The filtering mechanism can be based on the or any combination of,source address, destination address, network element address, protocolid/type, data coding scheme, keyword/content search, service identifier,location or presence status of the originator and/or destination.

Aspects of the method or system can be configured to build and/orrequest a subscriber profile from its internally articulated memory orthrough an external entity equipped to provide the same.

The profile can be matched against the parameters of the filteringmechanism (as particularly articulated).

A message process according to the method or system is either rejected(blocked), copied for later viewing, or routed to the subscriber as perthe mechanisms documented in the state of the art.

The method or gateway system can be specifically applied to provide forthe filtering of unsolicited wireless telecommunications as they relateto roaming traffic.

An SS7 monitoring subsystem can be provided to the method or gatewaysystem to monitor and intermediate traffic associated with roamingsubscribers, and, wherein, the messaging intermediation node of theinvention would typically be located so as to intermediate traffic onSS7 links.

Such an intermediation node can be configured to examine certain address(and other) fields within the telecommunication and direct the relevantinitiating network element (as SMSC for instance) to direct the actualtelecommunication to the invention's filtering logic.

Such telecommunication can be processed and matched against theparameters of the filtering mechanism (as particularly articulated).

The message can be either rejected (blocked), copied for later viewing,or routed to the subscriber as per the mechanisms documented in thestate of the art.

The method or gateway system's filtering logic can be configured so thatit shall redirect subsequent relevant messaging communication traffic tothe invention.

The method or gateway system can specifically relate to and provide forfiltering unsolicited Mobile Terminated (MT) SMS as messages leave theSMSC so as to not limit the application of the art to SMS messages whichmay have originated within the network and to further ensure that allforeign incoming messages are routed through articulated filter of thecomputer program product which implements the rules relating to such.

The method or gateway system can be implemented as part of a multi-phasefiltering process where messages are intercepted via SS7.

The method or gateway system can be configured to intercept the routinginformation for Short Messages (SM) on their way to the Home LocationRegister (HLR).

The method or gateway system can be configured to intercept MobileTerminated Forward Short Messages (MT-FSM) on route to the MSC.

The method or gateway system can be configured so that suchtelecommunication is processed and matched against the parameters of thefiltering mechanism (as particularly articulated).

The message can be either rejected (blocked), copied for later viewing,or routed to the subscriber as per the mechanisms documented in thestate of the art.

Another aspect of the invention provides an algorithm articulated withthe capability to block and/or extract potentially harmful orunsolicited wireless telecommunications messages on the basis of anextensive range of parameters and rules, including the origin of thenetwork element address (as the SMSC), the destination and/or sourceaddress of the message, the data coding scheme used in the message (asbinary, hexadecimal, ascii, and so on), content or keywords within themessage, the protocol or type of message (as text, multimedia,executable file, and so on), the location and/or status of theoriginator, destination address, the service identifier (i.e. theservice type field), number of messages sent to a source address, numberof messages sent from a source address, number of recipients of onemessage, frequency of a message sent to a destination address, andfrequency of a message sent from a destination address.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical, non-limiting embodiment of the systemlevel architecture employed in the disclosure of present.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Members skilled in the art will recognize that the ensuing represents anillustrative recital of the preferred embodiments of the invention ofpresent and other embodiments may be articulated, gleaned andarticulated from such while still remaining within its spirit and scope.Indeed, equivalents found within the state of the art, and those whichmay reasonably and effectively be deemed equivalent in the future shouldalso be understood as being incorporated by reference hereto and such.Furthermore, much of the language has been illustrative and is to beconstrued as expressly for pedagogical purposes in helping elucidate theart as concisely and beneficially as practical.

The invention discloses a method and system of filtering unsolicitedinformational and marketing oriented messages (‘spam’) based on inputsinto the Network Operator's network including, but not limited to,asynchronous messages received via TCP/IP protocols including SMPP(Short Message Peer to Peer), UCP (Universal Computer Protocol), MMx(MM1, MM4, MM7) (associated with the provision of Multi-Media Servicemessages), SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), and POP3 (Post OfficeProtocol). Furthermore, this method and system of filtering spam (asdefined above) messages can be applied to messages received in the formof an API (Application Programming Interface) such as those generallyprescribed by the 3GPP, 3GPP2, OMA, ETSI, and Parlay.

In the preferred embodiment, the spam is filtered based onintermediating network protocols including, but not limited to, SS7based SMS protocols such as those prescribed by GSM 03.40 and EIA/TISIS-841 (as amended from time to time) and SIP based protocols such asthose prescribed by the SIMPLE (SIP for Instant Messaging and PresenceLeveraging Extensions) protocol defined by the IETF (as amended fromtime to time). In the case of SS7 based SMS protocols, the inventionwill specifically intermediate and filter messages such asMO_Forward_Short_Messages (GSM) and SMDPP (ANSI-41) messages prior toforwarding the message to the SMSC (Short Message Service Center) (whichwill deliver the message per existing methods and protocols as describedin the state of the art).

In the preferred embodiments, the filtering mechanism is based on the(or any combination of), source address, destination address, networkelement address (e.g. SMSC Address), protocol id/type, data codingscheme, keyword/content search, service identifier (e.g. the servicetype field provided in a Submit_SM message to a SMSC), location orpresence status of the originator and/or destination. With respect tolocation, the invention will either interface with a location element(e.g. GMLC (GSM) or MPC (ANSI-41)) or directly determine the location ofthe subscriber(s) based on methods and protocols as described in the art(e.g. GSM 03.71)).

One embodiment of the invention provides the logic necessary for thefiltering of spam for roaming SMS traffic. A SS7 monitoring subsystemmonitors and intermediates traffic associated with roaming subscribers,wherein, the messaging intermediation node would typically be located soas to intermediate traffic on inter-network SS7 links. The messagingintermediation node will specifically intercept SRI_for_SM (GSM) orSMSREQ (IS-41) messages. And upon intercepting the SRI_for_SM/SMSREQmessage, the messaging intermediation node will initiate a response tothe originating node (typically a SMS-C) so as to direct the actual SMSmessage to the SMS filtering subsystem which may be hosted by messagingintermediation node. The network element in the foreign network (theSMSC in this instance) will direct the SMS message to the SMS filteringsubsystem via a MT_Forward_Short_Message (GSM) or SMDPP (Shot MessageDelivery Point to Point) (ANSI-41) message. The SMS filtering subsystemwill determine whether the message constitutes “spam” and will invokethe appropriate action (delete, store for later viewing, notify theoriginating node of a failure or successful delivery (i.e. to preventresubmissions) and so forth. Should the SMS message be considered avalid message, the messaging intermediation node may either deliver themessage directly (in which case the messaging intermediation node willrequest the location of the serving network element from the subscribersHLR (Home Location Register) (i.e. via a SRI_for_SM (GSM) or SMSREQ(IS-41) message), and in turn, the messaging intermediation node willinitiate an attempt to deliver the SMS message to the serving node viathe appropriate message (MT_FSM (GSM) or SMDPP (ANSI-41)); or providethe message to the SMSC via the applicable interface (e.g. SMPP) inorder to leverage the store and forward mechanisms which are describedin the state of the art. (In a rather sui generis, hybrid scenario, anunsuccessful attempt to initially deliver the message as per the former,may be forwarded to the subscriber's SMSC for delivery via latter of thescenarios outlined in the previous sentence).

Indeed, the actual elements and ranges of parameters are configurable byeither the subscriber or network operator via well documented mechanismssuch as web-based GUIs and bulk-loading of parametric attributes.

In alternate embodiments, such filtered content will optionally bestored for later retrieval or viewing by the subscriber or networkoperator. In yet another embodiment, an e-mail can be generated andforwarded to the subscriber on a (configurable) periodic basis whichprovides statistics as well as content (messages) which were filteredusing the current settings.

Although implemented as part of a computer program product, FIG. 1 hasbeen included to further elucidate and enable the invention disclosedherewith. Indeed, members skilled in the art will recognize that much ofthe functionality depicted in said FIGURE remains conceptual and‘high-level’ in light of the nature of computer program products andtheir functionality and functional processes. For illustrative purposesthe invention may be articulated with four (4) interfaces (50 and 60)(two (2) incoming 60A 60B, and two (2) outgoing 50A 50B). Incominginterfaces in this illustrative embodiment include the SMS Spam-FilterHLR. Interface 60A and the SMS Spam-Filter MT-MSC Interface 60B. Whereasthe outgoing interfaces in this illustrative embodiment include the UPSInterface 50A (to retrieve the subscriber barring plan) and Externalspam filter API 50B.

The spam-filter HLR logic 10 has been articulated, in this illustration,to deal with unsolicited informational and marketing oriented SMSmessages. At 10, the invention processes the incoming SRI-for-SM andchecks if the SMSC address has not been barred in the SMSC database list30. If barred, said request is rejected, if not, the SRI-for-SM isforwarded to the HLR (not shown). The system, referred to herein asinvention 100, then checks if the said subscriber is already in thesubscriber cache 40. If so then the invention 100, requests 50B the spamprofile from the external spamming filter software. If not, theinvention 100, then requests 50A the barring profile from the UPS.

The invention 100 then receives the SRI-for-SM response from the HLR(not shown) and forwards the SRI-for-SM to the foreign SMSC after allprofiles are received. After which, said barring information is storedin the subscriber cache 40.

In relation to the SMS (in this instance) Spam-Filter MT-MSC Logic 20,the invention 100 processes the incoming MT-FSM and requests thesubscriber barring profiles from subscriber cache 40. The invention 100therewith compares the messages in question with the spamming profilesand continues when no spamming profile has been matched, or otherwisethe message is rejected. The message is then forwarded to thedestination MSC (Mobile Switching Center), wherewith the MT-FSM responseis thereby received from destination MSC and the message is forwarded tothe originated SMSC (all not shown as already well document in the stateof the art).

We claim:
 1. A method for filtration of unwanted wirelesstelecommunications comprising: monitoring mobile multimedia service(MMS) message traffic associated with roaming subscribers received froma mobile multimedia service-center (MMS-C) in a network that is distinctfrom the terminating network, said traffic carried via inter-networklinks; determining whether said MMS message traffic constitutes a wantedor unwanted message, wherein whether said MMS message trafficconstitutes an unwanted message is based on one or more of a sourceaddress, a destination address, a network element address, a protocolid/type, a data coding scheme, a keyword/content search, a serviceidentifier, a location of an originator and/or a destination; andinvoking an action for managing said MMS traffic based on results ofsaid determining, wherein when said MMS message traffic is determined toconstitute a wanted message, then performing the additional step ofproviding said MMS message traffic to the MMS-C in the terminatingnetwork via an applicable interface, and wherein when said MMS messagetraffic is determined to constitute an unwanted message then said actioncomprises delete, store for later viewing, and notify said MMS-C of afailure or successful delivery.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein saidlocation is determined based on a location element, said locationelement being at least one of a gateway mobile location center (GMLC) ora mobile positioning center (MPC).
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein whensaid MMS message is determined to constitute a wanted message thenperforming the additional steps of: delivering said MMS message directlyto an intended destination for said MMS message.
 4. The method of claim3 wherein said action comprises notification of said mobile multimediaservice-center (MMS-C) of successful delivery in order to preventresubmission of said MMS message.
 5. A system for filtration of unwantedwireless telecommunications comprising: an incoming interface formonitoring mobile multimedia service (MMS) message traffic associatedwith roaming subscribers received from a mobile multimediaservice-center (MMS-C) in a network that is distinct from theterminating network, said incoming interface configured to receive saidtraffic via inter-network links; a filter for determining whether saidMMS message traffic constitutes a wanted or unwanted message, whereinwhether said MMS message traffic constitutes an unwanted message isbased on one or more of a source address, a destination address, anetwork element address, a protocol id/type, a data coding scheme, akeyword/content search, a service identifier, a location of anoriginator and/or a destination; and an outgoing interface for invokingan action for managing said MMS traffic based on results of saiddetermining by said filter, wherein when said MMS message traffic isdetermined to constitute a wanted message, then performing theadditional step of providing said MMS message traffic to the MMS-C inthe terminating network via an applicable interface, and wherein whensaid MMS message traffic is determined to constitute an unwanted messagethen said action comprises delete, store for later viewing, and notifysaid MMS-C of a failure or successful delivery.
 6. The system of claim 5wherein said location is determined based on a location element, saidlocation element being at least one of a gateway mobile location center(GMLC) or a mobile positioning center (MPC).
 7. The system of claim 5wherein said action comprises notification of said mobile multimediaservice-center (MMS-C) of successful delivery in order to preventresubmission of said MMS message.
 8. A non-transitory computer programproduct comprising programming instructions executable for implementinga method, the method comprising: monitoring mobile multimedia service(MMS) message traffic associated with roaming subscribers received frommobile multimedia service-center (MMS-C) in a network that is distinctfrom the terminating network, said traffic carried via inter-networklinks; determining whether said MMS message traffic constitutes a wantedor unwanted message, wherein whether said MMS message trafficconstitutes an unwanted message is based on one or more of a sourceaddress, a destination address, a network element address, a protocolid/type, a data coding scheme, a keyword/content search, a serviceidentifier, a location of an originator and/or a destination; andinvoking an action for managing said MMS traffic based on results ofsaid determining, wherein when said MMS message traffic is determined toconstitute a wanted message, then performing the additional step ofproviding said MMS message traffic to the MMS-C in the terminatingnetwork via an applicable interface, and wherein when said MMS messagetraffic is determined to constitute an unwanted message then said actioncomprises delete, store for later viewing, and notify said MMS-C of afailure or successful delivery.